4 ms·

I think it lessons other, more hurtful, words that are used as slurs. Look, we should be polite and not use offensive words, but be consistent. The referenced

I think it lessons other, more hurtful, words that are used as slurs. Look, we should be polite and not use offensive words, but be consistent. The referenced word is rude and offensive but in no way the same room as words that have resulted in lynching, genocide, systematic oppression. If we want to go all polite and ban all “slurs” then we’ll be getting butthurt over calling someone “stupid” or “idiot.” And of course I’ve worked with people who are upset at any foul language and even blasphemy. Are we going to get to a point that major reporters are thinking it’s attention worthy to say someone says “Goddammit?” Arguing over whether that’s as offensive as another word just a matter of time and we are experiencing a slippery slope. Either we’re going to get offended by everything and live in China/Disneyworld where there’s never offense, or we’re going to stop getting hysterical over unimportant things and use that attention to fight real, difficult, systematic problems.

mint2 6y ago
Here’s the thing, it’s not less bad than whatever others you’re thinking of. You’re just confusing your own familiarity with acceptability. Just because you’ve heard the word and are used to it, and maybe used it without your bubble caring, doesn’t mean it’s less hurtful than other words. As the other words fell out of general acceptance, many people who were familiar with the words said many of the same arguments you’re making now. Are you sure you’re not acting like a 50’s white person complaining about how you can’t say certain words anymore?
- Person5478 6y ago
  I could just as easily claim only a pedophile could hold the opinion you hold, but that would probably be a tad unfair. So how about you refrain from it as well, eh?
  - mint2 6y ago
    Your analogy makes no sense. I don’t know what else to say. It flat out makes no sense.
    - Person5478 6y ago
      it's not an analogy.
      - mint2 6y ago
        Well it’s clear whatever point you were making was completely opaque, at least to the person you posted it to. Since it’s opaque, why are you surprised I called it something different than you had in mind? instead of clarifying what I very clearly stated did not make any sense, you posted a terse reply that provided no explanation as to what you actually meant.
        Person5478 6y ago
        oh gosh, the OTHER person who disagrees with you also has character flaws?!?! I'm shocked... SHOCKED I tell you...
- prepend 6y ago
  > Just because you’ve heard the word and are used to it, and maybe used it without your bubble caring, doesn’t mean it’s less hurtful than other words. This is not accurate about how much I’ve heard and am familiar, or used it, or my bubble. It’s kind of astoundingly wrong to the point that it makes me wonder why you would assume that about a stranger. Also weird how you think to know how hurtful some words are vs others like you have some clue into how to quantify the pain caused by words. I wish I could achieve such knowledge and confidence as you express here, with some certainty that I wasn’t an idiot. Also, I wasn’t around in the 50s so not sure how 50s white (or non-white as well I suppose) complained about not being able to say certain words. It seems to me that people in the 50s didn’t limit their speech too much and one of the improvements we’ve made is that there’s less callous and hurtful speech spoken.
  - mint2 6y ago
    > This is not accurate about how much I’ve heard and am familiar, or used it, or my bubble. It’s kind of astoundingly wrong to the point that it makes me wonder why you would assume that about a stranger. Because your posts are saying/implying the r word is less hurtful or offensive than other now taboo words. That is the reason I infer you are more familiar and comfortable with the word than the other taboo words. Is that really a strange conclusion? And you say “also weird how you think think you know how some words are vs others”. Isn’t that the core of your argument as well? So you get to judge whether the word is offensive, but I don’t? And one doesn’t have to be alive during the civil rights movement to know many average Americans found it objectionable they couldn’t use whatever language they grew up using, as if that prior use made terminologies that should never have been acceptable, acceptable
    - da_big_ghey 6y ago
      Since when is retard taboo? Stupid, idiot, etc. reference the same thing and aren't taboo. Are those offensive? And if so, how does one insult others by implying that his mental faculties are lesser? I refuse to relegate my vocabulary to such a pathetic, anodyne, bowdlerized version that I cannot insult someone.

mint2 6y ago

Here’s the thing, it’s not less bad than whatever others you’re thinking of. You’re just confusing your own familiarity with acceptability. Just because you’ve heard the word and are used to it, and maybe used it without your bubble caring, doesn’t mean it’s less hurtful than other words. As the other words fell out of general acceptance, many people who were familiar with the words said many of the same arguments you’re making now. Are you sure you’re not acting like a 50’s white person complaining about how you can’t say certain words anymore?

Person5478 6y ago
I could just as easily claim only a pedophile could hold the opinion you hold, but that would probably be a tad unfair. So how about you refrain from it as well, eh?
- mint2 6y ago
  Your analogy makes no sense. I don’t know what else to say. It flat out makes no sense.
  - Person5478 6y ago
    it's not an analogy.
    - mint2 6y ago
      Well it’s clear whatever point you were making was completely opaque, at least to the person you posted it to. Since it’s opaque, why are you surprised I called it something different than you had in mind? instead of clarifying what I very clearly stated did not make any sense, you posted a terse reply that provided no explanation as to what you actually meant.
      - Person5478 6y ago
        oh gosh, the OTHER person who disagrees with you also has character flaws?!?! I'm shocked... SHOCKED I tell you...
prepend 6y ago
> Just because you’ve heard the word and are used to it, and maybe used it without your bubble caring, doesn’t mean it’s less hurtful than other words. This is not accurate about how much I’ve heard and am familiar, or used it, or my bubble. It’s kind of astoundingly wrong to the point that it makes me wonder why you would assume that about a stranger. Also weird how you think to know how hurtful some words are vs others like you have some clue into how to quantify the pain caused by words. I wish I could achieve such knowledge and confidence as you express here, with some certainty that I wasn’t an idiot. Also, I wasn’t around in the 50s so not sure how 50s white (or non-white as well I suppose) complained about not being able to say certain words. It seems to me that people in the 50s didn’t limit their speech too much and one of the improvements we’ve made is that there’s less callous and hurtful speech spoken.
- mint2 6y ago
  > This is not accurate about how much I’ve heard and am familiar, or used it, or my bubble. It’s kind of astoundingly wrong to the point that it makes me wonder why you would assume that about a stranger. Because your posts are saying/implying the r word is less hurtful or offensive than other now taboo words. That is the reason I infer you are more familiar and comfortable with the word than the other taboo words. Is that really a strange conclusion? And you say “also weird how you think think you know how some words are vs others”. Isn’t that the core of your argument as well? So you get to judge whether the word is offensive, but I don’t? And one doesn’t have to be alive during the civil rights movement to know many average Americans found it objectionable they couldn’t use whatever language they grew up using, as if that prior use made terminologies that should never have been acceptable, acceptable
  - da_big_ghey 6y ago
    Since when is retard taboo? Stupid, idiot, etc. reference the same thing and aren't taboo. Are those offensive? And if so, how does one insult others by implying that his mental faculties are lesser? I refuse to relegate my vocabulary to such a pathetic, anodyne, bowdlerized version that I cannot insult someone.